My Stardust Melody
by coffee666
Summary: Avonlea is having a youth talent showcase. When Anne finds out Gilbert is not participating, they make a deal—Gilbert will sing in the showcase if Anne recites one of her original works. If only Anne could manage to write something that wasn't about a certain boy.


Anne and Diana burst into the classroom, cutting off the cold air with a slam of the door behind them. Stray raindrops littered her hair, which had come loose from her braids in the run.

They had agreed to race to school in an effort to beat the weather. It wasn't a real competition, but Anne couldn't help but laugh at the fact that'd she'd won. Bypassing Diana, but even most of the other students as well.

"Did—Did you see the look on Moody's face when you ran by?" Diana laughed, out of breath.

"I think he was looking back to see what we were running from!" Anne leaned against the coatroom wall, laughing as she scrambled out of her hat and scarf. "I won, by the way."

"Only because my ribbon was falling out!" Diana was attempting to readjust it now.

"Don't be a sore loser, Diana." Anne rolled her eyes and broke into more laugher.

"—Didn't know there was a race today, Anne. Let me know next time, and we'll see who wins then." Gilbert was standing in the open doorway, eyeing her with an almost smile. Anne stared back at him, still half hunched over as she'd attempting to brush clinging snow from her boot.

Had she run past him on the way to school? She hadn't even noticed him.

There moment was cut short as Moody pushed past Gilbert and ran to the stove. Based on his soaked knees and elbows, Anne figured he must have fallen over in a haste to run after them. Perhaps he thought they were running because they were all going to be late.

Anne didn't notice the somewhat amused look Diana was giving her as she watched Gilbert put his things on a coat hook and walk to his desk. She rolled her eyes again and made her way to her own desk, attempting to tuck her hair back over her shoulders.

"Alright everyone, take a seat please." Ms. Stacy was leaning back against her desk. "I have something I want to announce."

As much as Anne was sure this had to be very important—she trusted Ms. Stacy's judgment completely, she couldn't help but look over at Gilbert.

In a contrast to her own dishevelment from running, he looked the way he always did. Effortlessly handsome and bundled in a sweater. He already had his books out and was watching Ms. Stacy with eyes forward. Like a good student.

Like Anne should be doing.

But did he really mean it, he would have raced alongside Anne and Diana? She couldn't picture him having that much fun. Maybe fun at Anne's expense, risking his pragmatic reputation to race if it meant winning against her.

She truly wondered who would win. She was small, but fast. Yet, Gilbert had the height advantage. It was almost tempting to take the chance.

"Anne?" Ms. Stacy prompted, snapping Anne out of her thoughts.

"Y-Yes." Anne's face burned redder, and not from cold, as she folded her arms over the desk and turned to the front.

"Eyes forward, please." Ms. Stacy's voice held slight empathy. She understood Anne's imagination sometimes got the best of her when things were slow in class. Still, Anne vowed to pay close attention to what was going on.

"Yes, Ma'am."

"Now, as I was saying, I have news." Ms. Stacy stood up straight and clasped her hands. "The town is putting on a youth talent showcase at the auditorium, and—"

There was immediate clamor. Excited chatter rippled through the students. Anne flashed Diana an elated look. She then turned around in her seat to see Josie was already telling Tillie what she wanted to do.

"_And—_" Ms. Stacy cleared her throat and passed a somewhat stern look over the students. Anne turned back around and tried to force her smile down, to no avail. "And, each student will have a chance to perform their talents for the town."

"Do we have to?" Charlie seemed to groan, raising his hand.

"Well, no." Ms. Stacy said. "No one _has _to participate, and if you don't want to, that's okay. But you should still support your peers."

"Is it a contest? What does the winner get?" Moody asked.

At the mention of a contest and a winner, Anne felt her heart leap. She then dared to glance at Gilbert once more. He was facing the front, furrowing his brows, but Anne knew what he was thinking.

He was going to try and beat her in the showcase. Though they'd made a truce to not try so hard to outshine one another, Anne knew better than to trust he'd keep his word with a prize on the line.

"This isn't really about competition." Ms. Stacy was trying to say as outcry rang out. Anne had to admit the edge disappeared without that goal. _"But—_I suppose a small panel of judges can manage to scrape something up for their favorite act."

The clamoring and excitement was back in full force. Anne was just turning towards Diana when Ms. Stacy tried to add over the crowd. "You can sign up on Sunday at the church once you've decided on your act."

"We should recite together!" Anne said, turning towards Diana.

"Yes! Let's do Lady of Shallott! That's my favorite." Diana said.

"Me too." Anne grinned.

"Alright, alright, you can discuss this more at lunch." Ms. Stacy went to the blackboard. "For now, it's algebra time."

Anne, who loved school, could not think of nothing but the showcase. The sentiment seemed the same across the classroom. Josie and Tillie were whispering intently and Anne saw Ruby attempting to pass Moody a note.

Only Gilbert remained outwardly unchanged, watching Ms. Stacy and writing down the problems on the board. Anne wondered what sort of talent Gilbert would do. In that moment, she realized she didn't know what he was good at, other than being second-best at spelling.

"Answer? Anyone?" Ms. Stacy sighed alongside the student's chatter. Gilbert raised his hand.

"Twenty-seven." He said.

"Thank you, Gilbert." She seemed pleased someone was paying attention at least.

Biting back a groan, Anne flipped open her notebook and tried to pay attention. She didn't need Gilbert showing her up before the showcase.

"I was thinking we could wear white dresses." Diana was saying as they walked home from school.

They were going slower now, instead of running. And though it had stopped snowing, it was still very cold.

Anne watched Gilbert, the dark figure waking a ways ahead of them. While everyone was walking in groups to discuss the showcase, Gilbert walked alone. Likely so what he was planning wouldn't get back to Anne.

"Didn't you say Marilla could make our costumes? Anne?"

"What?" Anne glanced over. "Yes, of course. What do you think he's going to do?"

"Who?"

"Gilbert." Anne lowered her voice. "He's going to try and win, I know it. I just can't think of what he's doing."

"Don't worry so much about winning, Anne." Diana linked arms with her. "I can't help you there, and I just want to have fun."

"It will be fun." Anne assured her. "You're right. We'll just have fun. I won't worry about Gilbert at all."

Much to Anne's delight, Marilla agreed to make Anne's costumes for the showcase. Anne then launched into the elaborate idea she and Diana had come up with. Anne of course was basing it a bit on the lovely costume Diana had once worn for the pantomime.

"We wanted to have feather-soft wings with gold trim. Beautiful silver crowns and Diana wanted pink sashes, but I must continue to _beg _her to change her mind. I cannot bear to wear pink with my color hair—"

"Well, you must bear." Marilla sighed. "Pink sashes is about all you should need. I can't even imagine so many other frivolities. Wings…fiddlesticks…"

"Oh, but Marilla!" Anne whined.

But after much persuasion, Anne agreed to give up on the wings in exchange for a ribbon and sash over white. Once Matthew gave Marilla a look and Marilla gave in and agreed on puffed sleeves, Anne didn't mind not having wings at all.

On Saturday, Jerry was to be sent to Carmody for some new farm supplies and Anne was to ride along and buy the materials for the costumes. She talked Jerry's ear off on the ride there, describing her costume in great detail and even reciting some of the poem to him.

"It's so wonderful, Jerry. I've loved it ever since we studied it in school." Anne stood up in the carriage and placed her hands on the edge, feeling the cold winter air blowing her hair and billowing out her hair. She then began to recite aloud, projecting into the wind.

"_The wellfed wits at Camelot. The web was woven curiously. The charm is broken utterly, draw near and fear not,—this is I, The Lady of Shalott!" _

"That's a real poem?" Jerry asked.

"Of course it is." Anne sat down, pulling her coat around her. As fun as standing up was when they rode was (she was always scolded for doing so with Marilla), the weather made it less so. She stuffed her hands into her pockets to warm them back up.

"I just mean, what about the ones you write? How come you're not doing one of those?"

"Because, Jerry," Anne hesitated for a moment. "Diana wanted to do Lady of Shallott. Besides, I wrote stories for the story club, not for everyone in town. And story club is dead."

They were silent for the rest of the ride. Anne couldn't help but think of her original work. It was true, she did sometimes write poems back then. She remembered working on them in the barn where she hid to avoid chores. No wonder Jerry remembered them. He must had always seen her in there working.

But her poems back then, they were always mimicking the Lady of Shallott style. And they likely have not aged well, even if she had happened to save some along with her other stories.

Maybe now, if they were updated with all she'd learned of writing sense, then at least one of them could be good…

Forcing it all from her mind and focusing instead on her costume, Anne grew giddy imaging puffed sleeves.

In town, Anne left Jerry to pick up the supplies as she crossed to the materials shop. Once Miss Jeannie's, the shop was now being looked after by someone else.

Anne noticed a beautiful young woman with dark hair. She was sitting behind the counter with a book and when she glanced up at Anne and smiled, Anne noticed she had a gap between her front teeth. Anne instantly decided that she wished desperately that she had an adorable gap between her teeth too.

"Can I help you, Miss?" The woman asked.

"Yes, I need something white with plenty of lace, oh, and pink for a sash and hair ribbon?"

"Sounds like a fancy dress." The woman smiled, coming around from the counter.

As she gathered a few rolls of soft white fabric, Anne gasped. A few rows over, observing balls of colored yarn in a basket was Gilbert. Anne wasn't sure whether to hide, but before she could decide, he looked over at her and smiled.

"Hello Anne."

"Oh. Hi." Anne replied, thinking once more that he seemed unbothered by the weather. While she could feel the snow that clung to the ends of her braids melting and leaving wet spots on her shoulders, he looked like his ordinary handsome self. "Are you getting material for your costume too?"

"Um, I'm not really a costume-wearing kind of guy." He chuckled, though even as he said so, he selected a ball of yarn from the basket. And then, as if he noticed her eyeing it. "Bash asked for it. He wants to try crocheting."

Anne was not sure if she believed him. She narrowed her eyes at him suspiciously, but he just flashed her another smile before paying for his yarn.

"Miss, you said this was for a costume?" The young seamstress asked, taking down some pink as well.

"Yes." Anne was watching Gilbert over her shoulder. "It's for—" She lowered, her voice, waiting for Gilbert to leave. "Elaine."

"Well, I'm not sure who Elaine is, but I'm sure she'll like it. Do you know her size?"

"Oh, no…um, it's for me."

"Oh, alright then, Elaine!"

After asking for a slight extra bit of white for puffed sleeves, Anne paid for the materials and carried the boxes to the carriage.

She then stopped in her tracks and gasped as she saw Jerry talking to Gilbert. Jerry was sitting in the carriage, the back already loaded with supplies. Gilbert was standing on the sidewalk, hands in his pockets with such causality that Anne hated it. He was laughing at something Jerry was saying.

She hung back, burning with rage and with the effort of holding the materials boxes. After a few moments, Gilbert nodded at Jerry and continued on. Anne ran up and dropped her boxes in the back rather loudly.

"What were you talking to him about?" She demanded, making Jerry nearly jump out of his skin.

"N-Nothing! What's your problem?"

"You didn't tell him about Elaine, did you?"

"Who?"

"Oh, I should never have let him know I was wearing a costume!" Anne climbed into the carriage, getting tangled in her own dangling scarf for a moment. With great effort she finally managed to sit upright, Jerry leaning out of the way and taking the reins.

"What's the problem?" Jerry asked again.

"Gilbert is going to try and beat me in the showcase." Anne explained, exhaling slowly and trying to will her heart rate down.

"Really? With what?"

"I don't know yet!" She groaned. "Just drive!"

Anne spent the rest of the afternoon wondering what sort of thing Gilbert was planning, but she couldn't think of anything. The only evidence she had was yarn, and she was starting to believe he'd been telling her the truth.

On Sunday, Anne ran ahead into church. The other girls were already inside around a lectern with a sign-up sheet on it.

"There you are, Anne." Diana reached for her hand. "I was waiting, let's put our names down together."

After Jane and Josie, Anne and Diana managed to squeeze to the front. Anne picked up the pencil and quickly scanned the names already written.

She saw all of the girls, and even a few boys, but did not see Gilbert's name. Perhaps he just hadn't arrived yet?

"Anne?" Diana nudged her.

Anne quickly wrote their names down before going to sit beside Matthew where he and Marilla had taken a pew in the front. Marilla came over a moment later, beaming somewhat proudly.

"What?" Anne asked in a whisper.

"Mrs. Pye just asked if I wouldn't mind making Josie a dress for the showcase. Apparently she fondly remembers my costumes from the pantomime."

"See, I told you those fairy wings were amazing!"

As the minister began the sermon, Anne found that the bad part of sitting near the front is that she had to constantly look over her shoulder if she was to spot Gilbert.

She dared look over whenever everyone else was busy turning the pages in their bible, but she couldn't dare take too long without getting scolded for not paying attention.

Finally, she spotted Gilbert sitting near the back. If he was here, had he signed up already, or was he waiting until after the sermon?

Anne forced herself to pay attention then. Waiting through the agonizingly long sermon until they were dismissed. Anne jumped up and turned towards the podium, but a crowd had formed once more. Anne groaned, attempting to shoulder her way through so she could check for Gilbert's name.

She just managed to get there and look, but of the new names after her own and Diana's, none were Gilbert's.

"What's he playing at?" She muttered, stepping back when Marilla called her.

Most of the students gathered in the auditorium after lunch. Anne had not been back there since the panto, and it did not seem to be the same sort of magical it'd been back then. It was dusty with the beautiful painted sets of Cole's having been taken down and with the curtains now drawn.

Much to Anne's relief, she saw Gilbert with some of the other boys who were unloading crates of supplies for the new sets and cleaning up. Realizing how long she'd been staring, Anne forced herself to turn to Diana and relay her idea.

"I was thinking, we could start with Elaine's quiet brows being kissed, before she rises back from death as angel, to recite the first verse!"

"Oh, I love that!" Diana smiled. She took out their school reader that had the poem and flipped to where she had saved the page. "Hm. But Anne, if we're both Elaine…how exactly does this work?"

"I'll kiss your brow." Anne decided. "Like this, kneel down."

Uncertainly, Diana knelt down on her knees. Anne took several steps back and squared her shoulders. As she did so, she could suddenly feel very many eyes on her, as it usually was when Anne was acting anything out.

She strode confidently to Diana, who waited with her eyes down and as if she were trying very hard not to laugh. Anne then stooped down and kissed Diana on the forehead, on the edge of her eyebrow. Immediately, they both began to laugh.

"Alright, everyone!" Rachel Lynde walked in and seemed taken aback by the sight of the place. The piles of crates and old set lumber. "Oh, for heaven's sake… Gilbert, Moody, clear this away if you'd please."

"Right away." Gilbert nodded, as if that hadn't been already what he was doing.

"We certainly have our work cut out for us, don't we?" Rachel sighed, eyeing where Diana and Anne were laughing in a slight heap on the floor.

"Oh, Anne…" Ms. Stacy followed Rachel in, looking to Anne and Diana with what was likely supposed to be disappointment at not taking it serious, though her eyes held laughter of her own.

"Sorry." Anne was still biting back giggles as she stood up and brushed off her skirt.

As Anne and Diana reread the poem and talked over more ideas, they got a slight idea of what everyone else was going to do. Josie was bragging about her song, and Moody mentioned playing an instrument, thought Anne had to wonder if he truly knew how, or was just saying something for attention.

"I'm too nervous." Ruby squeaked, collapsing down beside Anne and Diana on the floor. "I want to dance…but what of everyone staring at me?"

"Just pretend they aren't there." Diana said, touching Ruby's shoulder. "Just pretend you're all alone."

"Well, maybe not alone entirely…" Ruby's gaze seemed to wander and Anne looked over to see Gilbert and Moody were sweeping off the steps to the stage.

"Oh, Minnie May! Put that down!" Diana jumped up and went to stop her sister from playing with an old set piece from one of the crates, leaving Ruby and Anne alone.

"Maybe I'll just ask to go very last." Ruby said before looking up again. "No, first! I'll go first and get it over with."

As if on cue, Rachel began buzzing around them with a clipboard. She claimed to be taken down everyone's talents to make a note of the best order for the showcase. Ruby stood up and Anne gently touched her elbow.

"Ask to go after Minnie May. She's playing violin, and trust me, if your dancing will be so welcome after that… it'll be seen as even more exquisite!" Anne said and Ruby giggled.

Anne then looked back over at Gilbert. Moody was downstage cleaning, and Anne took the opportunity now that he was alone, squaring her shoulders once more, she walked over.

"Hello." Anne greeted, standing at the bottom of the steps. Gilbert smiled down at her, but another voice interrupted them.

"Hello, Anne." Charlie came over. "We're working on preparations, and we need this space. So please go back and play with the other girls—"

"Scram, Charlie!" Anne snarled in his direction. Charlie's face paled and Gilbert seemed to hold back a laugh as Charlie backed away and went to join moody. "As I was saying—" Anne faced Gilbert again, who held the broom off to the side and seemed to give her his full attention.

"Yes?"

"Well, even though you haven't yet revealed the act you're doing, I'm still going to courteous and give you the choice on whether you wanted to go before or after me and Diana."

"Um…"

"You see, if you and I are to properly compete, our acts should proceed one another, don't you think? So, do you want to go first?"

"Uh, I'm not—"

"Oh, fine, I guess we can go first—"

"I'm not doing the showcase." Gilbert began sweeping again, hunching over so that Anne could barely see the slight blush on his face.

"What? Why not?" Anne blinked.

"I just don't want to. I'd rather do the rigs."

"But—But it's fun!"

"I'm sure it is for some people, just not me. I'm still going to support everyone else, like Ms. Stacy said. I'm sure you'll do great as Elaine, Anne."

He looked up at her almost shyly, giving her a genuine smile. It then occurred to Anne that he must have been watching her and Diana just now to even know that she was being Elaine.

Anne couldn't help but smile back, feeling a blush on her own face as he came down the steps and walked past her, their shoulders brushing for just a second. Anne turned and watched him go, smile fading as it hit her.

He wasn't going to participate. It was almost sad. She really had meant it when she said it was fun. Suddenly, competition didn't matter anymore.

Walking quietly back over to Diana, she tried not to think of Gilbert missing out. Diana smiled and suggested they keep practicing.

"I promise not to laugh this time." Diana bit back a smile as she kneeled down.

"Alright." Anne stepped back, approached Diana delicately, and kissed her forehead. Diana then rose dramatically to her feet and began reciting.

Anne and Diana practiced for most of the afternoon, occasionally taking breaks to watch their classmates.

Ruby and Tillie were both dancing, but without much clear space to practice, kept bumping into one another. Paul claimed to be practicing something, but Anne couldn't tell what it was. She only saw him knock over a can of paint as he yanked an old sheet off a table.

As they read over their poem, Anne could hear Josie practicing her song for Mrs. Lynde, who seemed to be taking notes. Over and over again, Josie sang through the same lines, scolding herself and starting again.

"Anne," Ms. Stacey was helping paint new sets, standing with some of the boys, her hair pulled back and her shirt untucked from her trousers. There was a streak of white paint on her cheek. "Could you go see if any of the old Christmas decorations are in the back? Maybe some holly can cover up some of these splotches."

Anne nodded, grateful to be escaping the chaos of rehearsals. She was also eager to see what of their old panto had survived this long. Maybe the fairy wings Diana wore were in one of the boxes.

Skirting around Tillie and Ruby as they argued who bumped into who and whether or not they were intentionally copying one another, Anne opened the door that led backstage.

The dark hallway was filled with more boxes and racks of old costumes, but as Anne looked through them, she didn't recognize anything from the panto, and the layers of dust on everything made her eyes water.

As she looked, Anne could still hear the laughter and shouts from everyone outside still rehearsing. Josie's song still rang out softly, getting stuck in Anne's head.

She caught herself humming softly, but stopped. As she walked down the hallway, she could still hear the song, but as Anne approached a doorway, she realized it was not Josie, nor was it all in her head.

Anne paused outside the door, a box had been placed to prop it open, and peered inside. Gilbert was going through some of the old boxes. And he was singing.

"…_Yes, we'll gather at the river. The beautiful, the beautiful river; Gather with the saints at the river that flows by the throne of God_…"

Anne stood frozen, yet unable to stop a smile from spreading across her face, yet she didn't dare disturb him. There was something beautiful about his untrained, yet cheery voice. A nice contrast to Josie who'd be trying to sound perfect.

Probably because Gilbert didn't expect anyone to hear him at all. Yet, Anne couldn't stop listening, find a new appreciation for the song she'd been hearing over and over again all day.

"_The beautiful, the beautiful—" _Gilbert turned and locked eyes with Anne, gasping and jumping back, nearly knocking over another rack of old costumes. "Anne— What are you doing in here?"

"I didn't know you could sing!" Anne stepped into the room.

"That's because I don't sing." He replied, turning his back to her. "Only in front of Bash, and Delphine, I guess."

"Oh, you should sing as your talent!"

"Not a chance." He shook his head and Anne could see the tips of his ears red. "I told you, I'm not doing the showcase. Besides, no one wants to hear that."

"…Well, I would." Anne said quietly. Gilbert looked over at her from the corner of his eye but didn't say anything. "Anyways, I just came for some of the old Christmas stuff."

Gilbert wordlessly pointed at one of the boxes and Anne peered inside, catching a glimpse of a garland. Hopefully this is what Ms. Stacey wanted. Anne picked it up and walked towards the doorway, stopping just at the threshold.

"You know, if Mr. Lynde can sing in a lobster costume, then you should be able to sing in the showcase. I didn't realize you were so chicken."

"That's not going to work, Anne." Gilbert said. There was almost amusement in his voice, but Anne refused to let him laugh at her.

"I guess Diana and I will win, and you'll be sorry then."

"I'm sure I will be."

"And I guess I'll just have to be the only person having ever been blessed with hearing your voice, and I shall take that great secret to the grave, just as you will…" Anne dropped the box onto the floor with a loud thud before doing the same, dropping dramatically to her knees.

"Stop it." Gilbert rolled his eyes, but Anne could tell he was trying not to laugh.

"Your refusal…to cooperate…is killing me." Anne croaked.

"Cut it out." He finally chuckled. "Besides, I'm not the only one hiding their talent."

"What do you mean?" Anne stopped pretending to die, eyeing him from where she knelt on the floor.

"Why are you doing Lady of Shallott?" He asked.

"Because Diana wanted to."

"Oh.

"Why?"

"Well, I thought it was because you didn't want to read something you'd written yourself. Are you chicken, Anne?"

"Of course not! I could do something I wrote if I wanted to! I have a million things I've written!" Anne jumped up, hoping he couldn't tell she was lying.

"Prove it." He grinned and Anne's face went deeper red.

"Only if you sing!"

"Fine!"

"Fine!" Anne hadn't realized how loud she was yelling until the door creaked open further.

"For heaven's sake!" Mrs. Lynde gasped. "What on Earth is going on in here!? Anne, we sent you ages ago!"

"Sorry." Anne scrambled to pick up the box. "I just found what I was looking for."

She tried to look back over at him as she followed Mrs. Lynde out, but he'd turned away from her. It was as if the deal he'd made was finally sinking in. His hands were shoved into his pockets and he was staring down at the ground, his brows furrowed with almost worry.

"Come on, my rising stars!" Mrs. Lynde called out as Anne set the box down on a table nearby. "I'm going to post the roster now—"

"Wait! Um, Mrs. Lynde…"

Everyone looked up as Gilbert approached her. Ruby stopped mid-dance twirl and bumped into Tillie. Diana and Anne paused from pulling Garland out of the box.

"I want to sign up." Gilbert said. Anne noticed the slight flush on his face from earlier was now deeper.

"A last minute addition? Hm." Mrs. Lynde wrote something down. "Very well, I'll just put you on the end, Gilbert. Well…here we are!"

Mrs. Lynde turned and tacked the piece of paper to the corkboard by the door. The students ran over to see the list, Anne still dragging the garland around her shoulders. She squeezed past Paul and looked over Minnie May's head.

_**x. Anne Shirley-Cuthbert & Diana Barry**_

_**x. Gilbert Blythe**_

They were right next to each other. Anne breathed out in relief before something hit her. She had told Gilbert she'd read something of her own, yet Diana was squealing with excitement about doing Lady of Shallott. Anne felt a sharp pang of guilt.

"This is going to be so fun!" Diana sighed, taking Anne's hand.

"Yes…" Anne stepped out of the crowd.

The only other person who looked how Anne felt inside was Gilbert. He stood away from the crowd, leaning against the wall with his hands in his pockets. Though he did not look excited, Anne could still hear his singing voice ringing in her ears.

"Yes." Anne mumbled just as Gilbert glanced up and they locked eyes. "This should be interesting."


End file.
